Irati last colors and .. not buy helium balloons!

It is difficult to determine which is the time when the forest is more beautiful, but we can certainly say that now is precious. This year's leaf fall has been delayed more than last year (you can look at the blog at this time one year ago), but from here on out, sooner or later, the leaves will fall.In fact, they have already start  to do, and there are very big thicknesses in many places.

In this picture we can see the middle zone of the forest of Irati.Greens are losing every day, and give way to the yellow first, and then red and gold, which are most prevalent now.Why there is this color change?
Green indicate the presence of chlorophyll , where the plant is fed with normal light conditions.When it is decreasing, the green chlorophyll is replaced by the  yellow xanthophylls, which are activated with a shorter wavelength, and that can continue making photosynthesis more time, before being replaced by the carotenes, which are what give red in nature.When the amount of light continues to decline, even carotenes serve them to make photosynthesis, and finally they fall.If you want to know more Try these links:

www.botgard.ucla.edu/.../xanthophyll...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthophyll



Arrazola( Irati forest,Aezkoa)10 october2012

There are other factors such as protection against the cold, so in warmer areas are larger leaves to evaporate more water while in the colder, the leaves surface are reduced like simple needles, as in the Siberian taiga.

Now I will tell you the reason for my request about the balloons with helium.

This balloon hanging from a branch, in the middle of Mendilatz Nature Reserve, in the valley of Aezkoa, tells of a child who lost his balloon into the past holiday from somewhere distant. Air currents drag them tens, hundreds, or even thousands of miles to settle in places where the happiness of the party becomes human waste that causes problems.



We can see the silver ballon hanging from a branch.

We can find them in the lake of Pitillas(Navarre), in the gorges of the pyrenees, and anywhere else you can think like precious.5 years ago appeared in the branches of a beech  of Irati a Mexican probe balloon with a small capsule of polystyrene where there was a small gadget with an explanation for who met him, saying it was not dangerous. He crossed the ocean through the jet stream in the stratosphere to Irati!